Air pollution in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman): causes, effects, and aerosol categorization

Air pollution over six countries in the Arabian Peninsula (AP), including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, is shown to include particulates, greenhouse gases, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Distribution of the pollutants is strongly affected by major sandstorms that frequent the AP. Concentration of these pollutants is analyzed. Unprecedented infrastructure activities, overusing governmental subsidized energy, water desalination, heavy traffic in large cities, and cement plants are found to be the main reasons for the pollutants. In 2010, Qatar recorded the highest carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per capita with 40.31 metric tons. The KSA had the lowest CO2 per capita but recorded the highest emission resulting from the cement industry. Bahrain recorded the lowest cement industry emissions. Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data retrieval over three sites in the AP depicted significant anthropogenic particles mixed with the desert dust over the AP.